MAKE SCHOOL-GOING KIDS aware of sexual harassment: HC to Women’s Commission

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission to consider conducting special drives to especially in schools to make children aware of sexual harassment and sexual abuse.

A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Girish Kulkarni said, “We believe awareness drives must be conducted in schools from class five onwards. The students can be made aware of sexual harassment and abuse. The Commission can consider imparting values like gender equality, healthy relationships etc. We want you to create a cultured generation and at the same time a civilised adult society.”

The judges also asked the Commission to ensure it invites men in their awareness programs since they are the ones who often are the perpetrators.

“While conducting the special drives you must ensure you invite men. Often men are the perpetrators in cases of domestic violence and sexual harassment. We think you should invite men which include fathers, husbands, sons etc. This would help them understand how they should behave with the opposite gender,” Justice Patil added. The observations were made after the representative of the Commission apprised the judges of the fact that they conduct periodical drives in various colleges and government offices to make people aware of sexual harassment at workplaces and other such issues.

The judges were hearing a batch of petitions seeking

The observations were made after the representative of the Commission apprised the judges of the fact that they conduct periodical drives in various colleges and govt offices to make people aware of sexual harassment at workplaces and other such issues

directions to the Commission to open its branches in various districts so that women from remote areas need not travel all the way to Mumbai to lodge their complaints. Accordingly, the judges had asked the Commission to consider digitising the complaint registration system so that women from any corner of Maharashtra can easily lodge their plaints with just a click. The PIL also highlighted the fact that a large number of posts in the Commission were lying vacant for years altogether. However, the representative of the Commission has assured the judges that they would fill up the vacant posts at the earliest.